Automobile-wheel.



No. 852,998. PATENTED MAY 7, 1907.

B. H. BRIDGERS. AUTOMOBILE WHEEL.

APPLICATION FILED 0OT.17. 1906.

2 SHBETB-8HEBT 1.

lNVENTO/i BURKE I'LEIRID GEES 5y ya/107g;

PATENTED MAY 7. 1907.

B. H. BRIDGERS.

AUTOMOBILE WHEEL.

APPLIUATION FILED 00T.l7. 1906.

2 SHEETSSHEET 2v W/TNESSgS INVENTOH I i BURKE H.BHIUBER5 A TTOR/VE YSdescribed and claimed, whereby such mem- UNITED srA'rns Finn...

arnnr or AUTOMOBILE-WHEEL.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 7, 1907.

Application filed October 17,1906. Serial No. 339,383.

' To all whom it may concern.-

vented an Improvement in Automobile- Wheels, of which the following is aspecification. I

matic rubber tire to t e frame or skeleton of an automobile wheel iswell known. I have devised a method and means whereby this operation maybe eflected'expeditiously and with little labor; I

In carrying out my invention, I make the ordinary metallic or woodenwheel-'rim,hav-

ing an elastic tire secured thereto, detachable from the spokes of thewheel lace of the same being permanently secure thereto as in the usuaconstruction.-

Thus, a rigid metallic or wooden wheel rim and an elastic tire securedto it, constitute together. a sin.- glpl atltachable and detachablemember of the w ee My invention is embodied in the'cons'truction andcombinationof parts its-hereinafter her, more especially the wheelrim,'is held rigidly on the spoke ends when in use, but

may be readily removed when necessary for repair or for substitution ofa new elastic tire. In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a sideview of an automobile wheel 0011'. structed according to my invention,the rimpro er and elastic tire secured thereto being app ied andfastened to the spoke ends. Fig. 2 is a transverse section on the line22 of Fig. 1. Fi 3 is a transverse section on the line 3-3 0 Fig. 1.Fig. 4 is a perspective View of a spoke socket and a portion of thedivided spring ring which engages the sockets andholds the spokestherein. Fig. 5 is a side view of a portion of the wheel, the spokesbeing shown in the spaces intermediate oi' the sockets as when the wheelrimand-elastic tire are being removed therefrom. Fig. 6 is a side viewof a portion of the wheel showing the means for strainin thespoke-retaining ring by drawing its en s together or toward eachother.Fig. 7 is a perspective view of the means for straining thespoke-retaining rin Fg. 8 is a plan view of the on s of the spokeretainingring.

In Fig. 1, a wheel-provided with a rim and elastic tire secured'to thespokes according to my invention, is shown in connection with juxtaposedThe difliculty of ap lying a solid or'pneu- Y the front portion of anautomobile of well known construction. 'The elastic pneumatic tire I isapplied and secured to a rigid metallic wheel rim 2,in a well knownway-- see also Figs. 2 and 3. provided with a series of spoke sockets 3,which are open on one side and also provided with hooks or notched lugs4 for receiving and holding a divided spring ring 5 that serves toconfine the spoke ends 6 in the sockets. I

v The sockets are constructed of tough metal and in thimble form, savethat one side is entirely open to adapt them to receive the spoke ends,as shown in Figs. .1, 2, and 6. I ropose to attach these sockets 8 tothe meta 11c rim 2, in any suitable manner. in this instance, the endsand backs of the sockets are provided with holes for receiving screwswhich secure them to the inner annular portion. 2 of the wheel rimproper 2. As indicated the drawing, the back of the portion 2 isextended downward," as indicated at 2, so as to form a firm lateralsupport for-the sockets 3, but intermediately of the s okes, suchportion 2 is cut out as indicate at at, in Figs. 1, 5, and 6; As shownin Figs. 2 and 3, the ends of the spokes '6 and the heads or caps of thespoke sockets 3, are slightly inclined in place of being at right anglesto the axes of the spokes. This is for the purpose of facilitating theapplication of the detachable member to the spokes and its removaltherefrom and also'to produce a tighter fit. The spokes are shownconnected and braced 4 by a rmg 7, but this device may be dispensedwith. This ring is not entire, but divided, its ends being separated bythe distance between two spokes as shown in several figures. A bar 8extends across the space and is secured to the two adjacent spokes bythe same bolts that secure the ends of the brace 7. Upon this bar Imount the devices by which the re taining ring 5 is strained or drawntightly in the lugs of the spoke sockets. The said'bar S is providedwith a collar 9, and it is-rectan-' gular in cross section as shown inFig. .7. The ring-straining devices are forked metal plates 10, adaptedto slideon'v the bar 8, and a bolt and nut 11, the bolt assing throughthe portions of said plates w 'ch. are exterior to I thebar 8. The endsof the divided spoke retaining ring v5 are :pr5vided'with enlarged heads12, and the forked ends of the plates 10 are provided interiorly withnotches l3 adapted toreceive or engage such heads in.

The wheel rim 2 is side, the'portion of the rim intermediate of thesockets being cut away to a depth greater than the radial extensions ofthe spoke, to provide space for thelatter in the operation of detachingthe wheel rim, substantially as describedi' 6. A wheel rim having aseries of sockets for receiving the ends of spokes, said socketsprojecting radially inward, and being open on one side, aspoke-retainingringand devices for en a in said s oke-retainin rin substantially asdescribed.

7 In a wheel a rim having an inwardly projecting flange, spoke socketsarranged on said flange and attached thereto, the same projectingradially inward and having one side cut away, and provided with lugs,sub stantially as described.

8. The combination, with a hub and spokes, of a rim which is detachablefrom the spoke ends, and provided with spoke-receiving sockets which areopen on one side and provided with hooks or lugs, of'a dividedspoke-retaining ring provided with enlarged heads and adapted forengagement with said lugs, means for straining the ring for tighteningit against the spokes, the same consisting of forked plates adapted toengage the heads of the ring, a bar on which the plates are arranged,one of them being adapted to slide thereon, and a straining bolt passingthrough the middle portion of the plates, substan-' tially as described.

9. The combination with Wheel spokes and and a rim provided with s okesockets hav-' ing lateral projections provldedtvitah notches, of a.divided ring adapted to enter sa1d notches, one of such engaging membershav* ing an inclined side whereby a wedging action results, as the ringis tightened, as .described.

BURKE H. BRIDGERS.

Witnesses:

SoLoN C. KEMON, AMos W. HART

